Map making apparatus



Jan. 15, 1952 J. L. DALKE 2,532,374

MAP MAKING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 J'oh n.L.Da/ke as W affornely Jan. 15, 1952 J. L. DALKE 2,582,374

MAP MAKING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17. 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 15, 1952Filed Aug. 17. 1945 L. DALKE MAP MAKING APPARATUS arr 12am 5Sheets-Sheet 5 John L. fla/A'e Jan. 15, 1952 J. L. DALKE 2,582,374

MAP MAKING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17, 1 45 5 SheetsSheet 4 HIM" Snow HotJbhn Da, /ke

61 froznu a Jan. 15, 1952 J. L. DALKE 2,532,374

MAP MAKING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 SJ vwemrozJbhn L. Da/ke (1 Ho m-tu Patented Jan. 15, 1952 MAP MAKING APPARATUSJohn L. Dalke, Enid, 0kla., assignor to the United States 01' America asrepresented by the Scoretary of War Application August 17, 1945, SerialNo. 611,059

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in mapping devices of lightconstruction which are easily transportable and adaptable for use on anyterrain. More particularly, the invention relates to a. device embodyinga directional recording means utilizing a magnetic compass and a rangerecording means including a flexible cable payout mechanism. Theinvention is operable irrespectively and independently of the mode oftransporting over the terrain or conditions of the terrain orvisibility, and the device of the invention will operate satisfactorilwhen utilized by troops in forward areas under blackout conditions intotal darkness.

Numerous mechanical devices for attainment of similar results have beendeveloped, but so far as is known, all of the devices of the prior artare lacking in some respects. Some of the mechanisms of the prior artare too heavy and cumbersome to be easily transportable; others are toocomplicated in design and operation to possess the required degree offlexibility of use to make them operable under all conditions orsatisfactory for all uses desired.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a device overcominthe aforementioned difficulties and in addition possessing the requireddegree of lightness, flexibility of use and ease and simplicity ofoperation as to be suitable for use on any terrain and under adverseconditions of weather and visibility.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable mapping unitof the above indicated character which includes recording means,operating mechanism arranged to impart mapping data to the recordingdevice, which operating mechanism includes a ball of twine, or a supplyof flexible cable of any suitable character which engages a sheave orpulley wheel which is driven by movement of the twine or cable as thisis played out during mapping operations, the sheave in turn driving agear train in which all of the elements are positively connected to eachother, thereby preventing any tendency of slipping between the elementswith attendant inaccuracy in the mapping data, together with means whichare controlled by the gear train for recording mapping data on therecording device.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds and the features of novelty will be pointed out inparticularity in the appended claims.

The invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described,and as particularlypointed out in the claims, the following descriptionand the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrativeembodiments of the invention, this being indicative of but one ofseveral waysin which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective of the map making apparatus of the invention,with the cover of the housing opened to show the various operatinginstrumentalities;

Figure 2 is a plan of the showing of the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the showing of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a view taken approximately midway of the length of theapparatus and illustrating some of the parts thereof in section;

Figure 5 is a view similar to the showing of Figure 4 but at substantialright angles thereto; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6--6 on Figure 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 designatesthe main housing for the apparatus of the invention. Mounted atop thismain housing- 2, and adapted for rotative movement with respect thereto,is a compass housing 2, the latter containing a liquid-filled magneticcompass 4 (Figure 4). For purposes which will later appear, the compasshousing 3 is provided with a reference marker 5 for coincidence with thenorth-south line of the magnetic compass 4 when the said compass housingis rotated to the proper relative position.

The rotatably-mounted housing 3 i secured to a vertical rotatable shaftI to which there is at tached a bevel gear 8. This bevel gear 8 mesheswith a similar bevel gear 9 which is secured to one end of a horizontalrotatable shaft It), the latter carrying on its opposite end an attachedsleeve I2 having an intermediately disposed and integrally formedenlarged disk 13 which is journaled in a ring-type bearing I4, the saidring-type bearing l4 being suitably supported in the main housing 2. Thesleeve I2 projects beyond the proximate end of the rotatable shaft l0and is provided with an enlarged and split portion providing a forkedbearing member l6 which receives a plotting wheel I i which may beprovided with a rubber tread or peripheral teeth (as shown). Atransverse shaft 18 is journaled in the side walls of the sleeve 12 andcarries in attached relationship the plotting wheel II. It also projectsbeyond the enlarged and split portion I 6 of the sleeve l2 to receive anattached bevel gear I9, the purpose of which will later appear.

The main housing 2 carries a pair of spaced parallel pivoted links 2|which support an elongate shaft 22, the latter extending inright-angular relationship across the split end of the sleeve l2.Slidablymounted on this shaft 22 is a cylin drical drum or platen 23which carries the mapping paper, or other record, 24. The mapping papermay be attached to the platen by any suitable means, as for example, thespring clip 25 which is most clearly shown in Figure 1.

The course traveled by the apparatus is traced upon the mapping paper 24by a stationary pencil 26 or other stylus which is suitably mounted onthe main housing 2.

The peripherally toothed plotting wheel I! projects from the split endof the sleeve l2 and engages the platen 23. A strip spring 25or othersuitable device may be positioned in contact with either or both of thepivoted links 2| to effect a resilient relationship of the plottingwheel on the platen. This permits the easy and rapid withdrawal of theplaten for purposes of observation and/or to change the mapping paper24.

The length of the cylindrical platen is approximately one-half thelength of the elongate shaft 22 on which it is carried; and theconstruction and arrangement of these elements is such that the platenmay either rotate, slide, or rotate-andslide, depending upon the angleat which it is engaged by the peripherally toothed plotting wheel l1.

A rotatable shaft 2'6 extends through (and projects from either side of)the disk i3 on the sleeve l2. On its end which is most adjacent theshaft l8 which carries the peripherally toothed plotting wheel H, theshaft 2'! has secured thereto a bevel gear 28 which is meshed with thepreviously described bevel gear 19. Fixed to the other end of therotatable shaft 2'! is a worm gear 30. Disposed adjacent the worm gear36 and in rightangular relationship with respect thereto is a shaft 33rotatable on which is a worm 34 which meshes with the said worm gear 30.On this shaft 33 there is also a worm gear 35 which is secured to worm34. Thus, the worm gear 35 is adjacent to the shaft I and inright-angular relationship with respect to it. A sleeve 36 is mountedfor rotation on the shaft I0; and it has secured to it a worm 31 whichmeshes with the worm gear 35. The sleeve 36 also has secured to it alarge spur gear 38.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that the rotation of the spurgear 38 will cause the rota-v tion of the peripherally toothed plottingwheel IT; and in order to permit the stylus 26 to indicate on themapping paper 24 the precise distance over which the apparatus is beingmoved, it is only necessary that the spur gear 38 be given a rotationalfunction in accordance therewith. The gear train shown and described hasbeen found to be very efficient. To a large extent this is due to thegear reduction assembly being attached to and forming part of the meansfor enabling the rotation of the wheel at right angles to its directionof rotation. This construction and arrangement makes negligible theadvancement of the plotting wheel IT upon the rotation of the compasshousing 3 through a complete revolution; and thus limits to a minimumthe degree of' error which might otherwise be introduced through thegearing reduction assembly.

The necessary rotation of the spur gear 38 may be obtained in numerousways, as by connection with the propeller shaft of a vehicle or vessel,the driving shaft of an odometer, or speedometer, etc. However, anacceptable embodiment, which has proven to be very satisfactory, and theone which is illustrated in the drawings, takes the form of a string orthread which is attached to a fixed point and payed out from the mainhousing 2 as the for translating the amount of stringpayed out intoterms of rotation of the spur gear 38. According to this embodiment,there is fixedly secured to the main housing 2 a stationary" shaft 40on' which 70 distance is being negotiated; together with means there ismounted a rotatable sleeve 4|. To the inner end of this rotatable sleeve4| there is affixed a small gear 42 which imparts rotation to the spurgear 38 through an intermediately disposed idler gear 43. v To the outerend of the rotatable sleeve 4| there is attached for conjoint rotationtherewith, a pulley 44 having two string-receiving grooves of differentdiameters, the larger being indicated at 440. and the smaller at 441).The string is assisted into the desired groove by means of aconveniently disposed guide 45. The supply of string X is maintained inthe form of a ball or spool on a suitable spindle 48. As the string X ispayed from the ball on the spindle, itis wrapped around a hook guide 46,which comprises a rod or wire suitably attached to the main housing 2and having a bent or curved outer' end to prevent the convolution of thestring from slipping off. As the string X leaves the hook guide 46 it ispassed under a block 47, through a vertical slot in the said block, andunder a tension device 41' which comprises a resilient metallic strip ofsuitable wearing qualities, for example, Phosphor bronze. This tensiondevice (i. e. resilient metallic strip) may be suitably supported byattachment to the top surface of the block 41 in the manner shown. Afterthe string X leaves the under surface of the tension device 4'! it ispassed through one of a pair of horizontal slots of a double guidegenerally indicated at 49, and \vrapped'into one of the string-receivinggrooves (i. e. 44a or 44b) of the pulley 44.

As it comes out of the selected string-receiving groove of the pulley44, the string X is passed through a tubular external guide 50, afterwhich it is free to be attached to a convenient object at the point fromwhich the mapping process is to begin. The placing of the string X inthe J tubular external guide is facilitated by the provision of a slot5|, preferably in the forwardlyfacing portion thereof.

When the peripherally toothed plotting wheel I! is in engagement withthe mapping paper 24, the length of the route marked by the stylusdepends upon the diameter of the plotting wheel and the amount itrotates. By proper choice of the ratio of the diameter, of thestring-receiving grooves of the pulley 44 with respect to the diameterof the peripherally toothed plotting wheel, and the ratio of reductionof the gear train, any mapping scale may be obtained.

A sharply pointed position marker 53 extends angularly through the mainhousing 2, to a point adjacent the point of contact of the stylus 26with the mapping paper 24 and permits the operator to manually depressit and puncture the mapping paper" to mark points en route withoutopening or removing the cover for the main housing.

The apparatus may be attached to the operator.

by straps (not shown) and a body rest 54 enables the main housing to becomfortably carried in front of the operator at waist level. The compassreference lines are phosphorescent to permit operation of the apparatusunder night time conditions; and if desired, lights may be provided forenabling the making of observations and adjustments under similarconditions.

in the art that the orientation of the compass housing 3 by the operatorwill determine the angularity of the peripherally toothed plotting wheelI! with respect to the axis of the cylin- 76 drical platen 23; and thatin this manner accept- It will be readily understood by those skilledably accurate compensation is made for deviation from a true magneticcourse.

In its operation the device may be attached to the operator by suitablestraps, the body rest 54 engaging the forward portion of the operator atapproximately waist level. The cord is attached to a stake, tree orother fixed object at the starting point of the course to be surveyedand the operator then faces in the direction of the first leg of thecourse and orients the compass by revolving its housing 3 until thereference marker 5 coincides with the north-south line of the compass 4.The device is then moved from the starting point to a second point onthe course which point may be arbitrarily determined or may be the pointat which a change in direction of the course occurs. As it moves overthe first lap the cylinder 23 carrying the recording medium 24 movespast the marking pencil 26 and in contact therewith a distanceproportional to the ground distance. Through the instrumentality of thecord, the sheave (44a or No), the gears 42, 43, 39, the worm 37, theworm 34, the pinion 30, the shaft 2'! and the bevel gears 28 and I9, thetoothed plotting wheel I! rotates proportionately to the distance whichthe device moves. As a result of the setting of the compass, aspreviously referred to, the plotting wheel I! is oriented with respectto the magnetic azimuth of the course. Such orientation is efiected bythe positioning of the compass housing 3, thus rotating the shaft 1,bevel gears 8 and 9, shaft [0, disc I3 and the supporting means I6 onwhich. the shaft I8 carrying the plotting wheel I! is rotatably mounted.

Upon reaching a point in the course at which a change of direction isnecessary, the cord is attached to a fixed marker at such point and thecompass re-oriented in the same manner as the instrument was set at theinitial starting point.

From time to time it may be necessary to place a new sheet of paper onthe cylinder after the cylinder has revolved approximately a completerevolution and the supply of cord 48 must likewise be maintained.

As a result of carrying out the above operations, it will be apparentthat the paper 24 will have recorded thereon a line the orientation ofany portion of which is directly indicated, the orientation of any legof the course having been noted,

and that the length of the various portions of the course will be suchthat distances may be scaled directly from the recording.

Other modes of applying the principles of the invention may be employed,changes being made i as regards the details described, providing thefeatures stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent ofsuch be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and wish tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A map making apparatus adapted to be transported over a route to bemapped, comprising a main housing, a directional plotting meansincluding a compass housing, a compass rotatably mounted within thecompass housing, said compass housing being rotatably mounted upon saidmain housing, the said main housing enclosing a rotary disc bearingsupporting means, perpendicular projections protruding from said discbearing supporting means, a plotting wheel mounted on the saidprojections, a plotting drum actuated by the plotting wheel, astationary stylus adjacent to the plotting drum in engagement with amarking surface carried thereon, said plotting drum being mounted forrotary and longitudinal movement, a distance plotting means consistingof a supply of flexible cable, a guide and tension mechanism forcontrolling paying out of the flexible cable, multiple sheaves adaptedto receive selectively a turn of wrapping of the flexible cable, drivingmeans interconnecting the sheaves and plotting wheel and driven bypaying out movement of the flexible cable for rotating the sheave toimpart rotary motion to said plotting wheel and the said plotting drum,and means for laterally shifting the plotting drum relative to the saidstationary stylus responsively to rotation of the compass housing.

2. A map making apparatus adapted to be transported over a route to bemapped comprising a main housing, a directional plotting means includinga compass housing, said compass housing being rotatably mounted uponsaid main housing, the said main housing enclosing a rotary disc bearingsupporting means, perpendicular projections protruding from said discbearing supporting means, a plotting wheel mounted on the saidprojections, a plotting drum actuated by the plotting Wheel, astationary stylus adjacent to the plotting drum in engagement with amarking surface carried thereon, said plotting drum being mounted forrotary and longitudinal movement, a distance plotting means consistingof a supply of flexible cable, a guide and tension mechanism forcontrolling paying out of the flexible cable, multiple sheave meansadapted to receive selectively a turn of wrapping of the flexible cable,driving means interconnecting the sheave means and the plotting wheeland driven by rotation of the sheave means to impart rotary motion tosaid plotting wheel and the said plotting drum, and means for laterallyshifting the plotting drum relative to the said stationary stylusresponsively to rotation of the compass housing, the said lateralshifting means for the plotting drum including said rotary disc bearingsupporting means and interconnected gears, one of which is actuated byrotation of the compass housing and another of which is operativelyconnected to the disc bearing supporting means.

JOHN L. DALKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 129,761 Stackpole July 23, 1872226,028 Brady Mar. 30, 1880 709,313 Ferguson Sept. 16, 1902 1,123,795Pollen et al. Jan. 5, 1915 1,308,580 Gram July 1, 1919 1,401,242DeLavaud Dec. 27, 1921 1,427,267 DeLavaud Aug. 29, 1922 1,448,931Manning Mar. 20, 1923 1,701,582 Mengden Feb. 12, 1929 1,704,250 HolmesMar. 5, 1929 1,727,460 Winkley Sept. 10, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 2,499 Great Britain June 3, 1881 14,598 Great Britain July9, 1908 118,742 Australia July 24, 1944

